The present invention generally relates to optimizing the placement of internet-of-things (IoT) devices and, more particularly, to optimizing the placement of IoT devices to provide full coverage and minimize coverage overlap.
The IoT is the network of physical devices, vehicles, home appliances and other items embedded with electronics, software, sensors, actuators, and connectivity which enables these objects to connect and exchange data. An IoT device is uniquely identifiable through its embedded computing system but is able to inter-operate within the existing Internet infrastructure.
The IoT allows objects to be sensed or controlled remotely across existing network infrastructure, creating opportunities for more direct integration of the physical world into computer-based systems, and resulting in improved efficiency, accuracy and economic benefit in addition to reduced human intervention. When IoT is augmented with sensors and actuators, the technology becomes an instance of the more general class of cyber-physical systems, which also encompasses technologies such as smart grids, virtual power plants, smart homes, intelligent transportation and smart cities.
Examples of IoT devices include heart monitoring implants, biochip transponders, cameras streaming live feeds, automobiles with built-in sensors, DNA analysis devices for environmental/food/pathogen monitoring, or field operation devices. IoT devices may collect useful data with the help of various existing technologies and then autonomously flow the data between other devices.